The Dark Turn in Fandom: How Online Spaces Became a Breeding Ground for Harassment and Doxxing

Note: Names marked with an asterisk are fake and used to refer to some sources throughout this article to protect their identities.

I’ve been in fandoms my entire life , starting with The Vampire Diaries . I would read stories on Fanfiction.net, watch fanmade YouTube edits, have discussions about shipping with other fans on forums, and, of course, fight over ships on those same forums. From Doctor Who and Star Wars to K-pop and anime, fandom was my way of escaping reality. But when real life was occupying my time, my presence in fandom was less active. I was content with my private little bubble of enjoying things. That all changed last year, when I became obsessed with AMC’s small-screen adaptation of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire and started seeking out